


The Heartbeat of History

by rhythmicroman



Series: Still Breathing [2]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Agender Frisk, Albino Papyrus, Albino Sans, Alt. Title: Everyone Is Gay, Alternate Universe - Human, Angst, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Genderless Frisk, M/M, Mettaton and Alphys are siblings, Nonbinary Frisk, Orphans, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Papyrus Has Issues, Papyrus Needs A Hug, Papyrus-centric, Past Character Death, Polyamory, Sad Papyrus, Sans Being Sans, Sans is Polyamorous, Sans is a background character but is important for the plot, Survivor Guilt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-11
Updated: 2016-08-11
Packaged: 2018-08-08 03:36:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7741858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhythmicroman/pseuds/rhythmicroman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The blood that we’re bleeding could fill up a broken heart,<br/>The secrets we’re keeping could be used to light the dark.</p><p>[Papyrus-centric Angst]<br/>[Song used is Anti-Gravity by Runaground]</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Heartbeat of History

**Author's Note:**

> This is the PREQUEL to Oscula.
> 
> LOTS of headcanons.
> 
> Avon = Riverperson  
> Katze = Riverperson's boat (bus)  
> Beorhtsige = Metta and Alphys' surname. Means 'bright' and 'victory' in anglo-saxon english.

The streets were blackened with ash as the buildings that he used to call home crumbled around him. He hugged his blanket closer, pulling it up to cover his face. Another ambulance worker looked him over quickly, their eyes lingering on his hands.

He knew they were wrong. They didn’t need to tell him.

His brother slipped beside him, wrapping both arms around his torso and holding him close. The older boy was smeared with ash, and his hair looked more grey than white.

He must’ve been shaking, because the other boy gently pressed a hand to his chest, tapping his thumb in time with his heartbeat – a loving, comforting gesture the two had shared since early childhood. His eyes caught on the round, raw-red marks on the boy’s hands.

Sans sighed. “it's nothing to be ashamed of.” He said quietly, looking down. “it’s not your fault.”

“But it is.” Papyrus mumbled. “It always is.”

Sans didn’t bother fighting back as they watched their home crumble to dust.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Their new home felt cold and empty. There was something missing, and they both knew it.

Papyrus remembered celebrating when his father wasn’t home. Swirling around the hallways in his socks, pretending he was a dancer – playing knights with salad bowls and mops – brushing Sans’ hair out and babbling about whatever he was interested in, the older boy nodding and humming in agreement.

But now, the house felt incomplete without him. Papyrus had tried to convince himself that he was just out getting milk, and he’d be back soon. He hung his coat on the hook by the door, but never his keys – he’d have them with him. He always made sure to lay his pyjamas neatly at the end of the spare bed, as if he’d come home and wear them later on. The purple ones, with the stripes – they were his favourite.

Sometimes he’d sit on the sofa, running his thumb over his palm’s mark, thinking that maybe, if he’d gotten to three-hundred, or five-thousand, or five-hundred and sixty-four by the time Sans woke up, then his dad would come home.

No. This wasn’t home. This would never be home.

The town they’d moved to was cold and boring. Full of brunette ladies with fuzzy jumpers, or big men with beards and fleeces. A rickety old bar down the road was run by a tall redhead with a calming voice, who seemed to hate the weather as much as Papyrus did. A boy with blue-dyed hair and ridiculously-coloured dungarees sold ice-cream – ICE-CREAM – not far outside the town’s borders.

He missed their own home. It always seemed to be summer. The streets were full of colour, and the loud chug of the large factory nearby nearly made a song. He had distant memories of playing miss-the-cracks with his father on those pavements – they seemed to gain new cracks every day, so it was plenty of fun. Sans would sit on a bench and eat hotdogs, and sometimes he’d get out some chalk, and they’d play twister with the streets. The water was so hot it burnt like lava, so there were water-coolers round every corner.

But dad would never come home. There was no home anymore.

He hung his head and cried.

-0-0-0-0-0-

“hey, bro.” Sans mumbled, sitting at the table. Papyrus had made cereal – frosted flakes, his favourite – and was currently crunching them dry. “you lookin’ forward to school?”

Papyrus grimaced. “Not really.” He admitted, shifting nervously. “It’s quite far away.”

As much as he’d never say, Snowdin had grown on him. He’d recently befriended a lonely mother’s child, after finding them playing in the forest. They were very good at crosswords, and they’d been on multiple very-platonic dates with him in the past.

The thought of leaving them and Sans behind made him shiver.

“it’s not that bad. promise.” Sans smiled half-heartedly, eyes still half-closed. “it’s in the capital – a few cities down – so you’ll need to take katze.”

Katze was the name of a large bus that ran throughout the country – it was the fastest way to travel, and always seemed to be there when you needed it. A Katze stop just happened to be right outside their house.

Sans must’ve seen his expression, as he sighed. “listen, i’d take you myself, but i’ve got a date.”

“Which one?”

“grillby. y’know, the redhead. runs a bar.”

“Yes, the boy you’ve been ogling for months. Is Ms. Toriel aware?”

“yea, she’s cool. better get goin’, though, paps. don’t wanna be late.”

The taller boy gasped, shooting to his feet and very nearly spilling his honey-covered cereal all over his very cool outfit. With no hesitation, he swung his absolutely-cool backpack (it had a very cool-looking man eating a very healthy apple on it, so of course it was cool!) onto his shoulders and practically leapt out of the window.

“Greetings, Avon!” he grinned widely at the Katze-driver, trying not to look as nervous as he felt. The driver in question simply glanced over, face emotionless as usual, before swinging a hand out to gesture to the seats behind them. Papyrus nodded at the cloaked person before making his way into the coach-

-and stopping in his tracks.

“Oh, honey, I’m sorry,” a noirette boy frowned, looking up from his phone and straight at Papyrus. “there seems to only be one seat left. Would you mind sitting so close?”

Shocked out of words, Papyrus shook his head numbly. The raven-haired boy smiled, shifting over and patting the seat beside him.

“Well then, hurry up, beautiful! Avon will be setting off soon.”

A nod, and suddenly Papyrus was sat beside the beautiful stranger. He shot Papyrus a smile, holding out a hand.

“Metta. Metta Beorhtsige, but that’s really a mouthful, so just Metta is fine.”

“Papyrus Wingding.” He mumbled.

Before he even finished his sentence, Snowdin was nothing but a speck in the distance.

**Author's Note:**

> IF THIS CHAPTER DIDN'T MAKE IT PLAIN ENOUGH:
> 
> Sans and Papyrus' home burnt down in a fire - Hotland got its name for being extremely dangerous when fire is involved - and their father (Gaster) suffocated to death on the smoke.  
> That was only a few months ago.
> 
> Papyrus is about 14, whilst Sans is 16-17 and skipping school because he's an Honorary Parent™. Metta is 15, being only about two months older than Papyrus.  
> Sans and Papyrus have Gaster's holes on their hands - but they aren't holes. They're burn marks. They'd both tried to reach their dad, and had burnt their palms on the doorknob.
> 
> (And yes, Papyrus has a Death Note backpack. He and Sans watch angsty anime and cry about their feelings every weekend. It's amazing for family bonding. It's Ryuk - I didn't name him because the reasons listed are the exact reasons why Papyrus likes him so much.)
> 
> If you don't have the Wingdings font installed, Papyrus will say his name as 'Papyrus WINGDING', his surname in full caps.


End file.
